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Calvert Cliffs nuclear expansion criticized | delmarvanow.com | The Daily Times
As Maryland closes in on the construction of a third reactor at Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant in Lusby, an environmental organization has released a report calling nuclear power a step backward in the nation's race to reduce pollution.
The Environment Maryland Research and Policy Center report, released Tuesday, calls nuclear power "too slow and too expensive," an energy source that makes little economic sense in combating climate change.
While nuclear power might be preferable to fossil fuel-based energy sources, it is "diverting and delaying action," said economist John Howley, who was part of a panel convened by Environment Maryland.
Nuclear Power Called a Step Backward - Southern Maryland Headline News
As Maryland closes in on the construction of a third reactor at Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant in Lusby, an environmental organization has released a report calling nuclear power a step backward in the nation's race to reduce pollution.
The Environment Maryland Research and Policy Center report, released Tuesday, calls nuclear power "too slow and too expensive," an energy source that makes little economic sense in combating climate change.
While nuclear power might be preferable to fossil fuel-based energy sources, it is "diverting and delaying action," said economist John Howley, who was part of a panel convened by Environment Maryland.
Howley, who writes Maryland Energy Report, believes that financing nuclear power will come at the expense of cleaner energy sources, such as solar or wind power.
B'More Green: Nukes battling a green headwind? - An environmental blog for everyday living - baltimoresun.com
Aiming to head off a budding bipartisan move in Congress to boost nuclear power, environmentalists took to the streets - and the Internet - to dismiss atom-splitting as too slow and costly to help fight climate change.
Environment Maryland released a new report Tuesday (Nov. 17) arguing that it would take a decade or more and cost upwards of $600 billion to build 100 more nuclear plants, as some have advocated to ease planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions. The group argues that the time and money could be better spent promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy such as wind and solar.
"Nuclear power would actually hurt our ability to stop global warming,'' said Mike Sherling of Environment Maryland.
Constellation Energy, EDF close $4.5B nuclear deal - Baltimore Business Journal:
Constellation Energy Group Inc. and EDF Group have closed their $4.5 billion joint venture, the companies said Friday.
The agreement ends a nearly year-long drama that had been playing out since the nation’s financial markets began to freefall in September 2008. The deal survived scrutinizing regulatory review and political fire that spoiled a similar deal for Constellation in 2006.
The companies put out brief statements Friday announcing the deal had closed.
Nuclear Engineering International: Maryland PSC slams "orchestrated parade" promising Calvert Cliffs 3
The Maryland Public Service Commission has approved EDF's 50% purchase of Constellation Energy that could lead to the construction of an EPR at Calvert Cliffs, provided the two utilities meet several conditions.
First, they must hand residential ratepayers a $110 million rebate before March 2010. Second, the utilities must invest $250 million cash in Baltimore Gas & Electricity, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Constellation Energy, before July 2010. There were several other additional financial stipulations.
In September, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved the investment structure and license transfer related to EDF's investment in Constellation Energy Nuclear Group. The New York State Public Service Commission approved the deal in April.
EDF Authorized to Invest in Nuclear in the U.S. | Reuters
EDF welcomes the decision of the Board of Directors of its American partner Constellation Energy to approve moving forward based on the conditions set forth in the order issued by the Maryland Public Service Commission with respect to the creation of a nuclear joint venture between EDF and Constellation Energy. The Maryland PSC has attached conditions designed to preserve the independence and financial strength of Constellation Energy`s regulated subsidiary. Approval from the Maryland PSC completes the regulatory review process, and the companies now have received all necessary approvals at the federal and state levels to proceed with the transaction. EDF and Constellation Energy will complete the transaction without modification to the previously agreed terms of the transaction. EDF will commence the process to enable the close of the transaction, for which it has already received the authorization of its own Board of Directors. The consummation of the transaction is the result of a partnership between EDF and Constellation Energy that began over two years ago.
Approval helps clear way for reactors' construction | Lynchburg News Advance
A Maryland agency has given a key approval to a deal between two companies that hope to build an Areva-designed nuclear reactor.
The approval lets Electricite de France buy about half of Constellation Energy Group’s nuclear business, seen as an important step in the two companies’ plans to build new nuclear reactors.
The two companies partnered two years ago to form UniStar Nuclear Energy, a joint venture. UniStar has been working to promote the construction of Evolutionary Power Reactors in the U.S.
Md. tentatively backs Constellation deal with French firm - washingtonpost.com
Nuclear sale contingent on energy firm, French giant offering rebate, aid
The move is designed to lead to a third reactor at Calvert Cliffs.
The move is designed to lead to a third reactor at Calvert Cliffs.
Regulators appointed by Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley announced Friday that they have offered conditional approval to let Constellation Energy Group sell nearly half its nuclear assets, including those in Calvert County, to French energy giant EDF in a move designed to lead to construction of the first new commercial nuclear reactor project in the United States in more than three decades.
AFP: US state OKs tie-up of Constellation Energy, France's EDF
The US state of Maryland on Friday approved a plan for France' EDF Group to take a stake in Constellation Energy Group, clearing the final hurdle for a new nuclear power plant in the state.
US regulators earlier this month had green-lighted the joint venture plan for the French state-controlled company to acquire nearly half of Constellation's nuclear assets.
The companies say the nuclear joint venture is critical to the proposed construction of a new nuclear generation plant at Constellation's Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, which they say would represent one of the largest industrial development projects in the East Coast state.
The Maryland government announced Friday conditional approval of the joint venture, depending on a one-time rate credit of 110.5 million dollars to residential ratepayers of Constellation's Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE) subsidiary.
Decision nearing on nuclear alliance (www.HometownGlenBurnie.com - The Maryland Gazette)
Late changes could have impact on BGE, ratepayers
BALTIMORE - Consumer advocates said Wednesday that newly proposed changes to the Constellation Energy deal with a French nuclear power company could bring less money into the state than originally expected and potentially impact how much Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. spends on capital improvements.
BGE is a subsidiary of Constellation Energy, which provides power to homes in Central Maryland, including 88,600 natural gas and 221,500 electricity customers in Anne Arundel County.
NRC Orders Hearings On Reactor At Calvert Cliffs - wjz.com
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has decided to open its hearing process in a dispute over a proposal to build a third nuclear reactor at Calvert Cliffs in Lusby.
The NRC made the decision Tuesday in the application process for UniStar Nuclear, which is a joint venture of Baltimore-based Constellation Energy and the EDF Group, a French company.
Several groups argue the third reactor would be owned and controlled by foreign interests, contrary to the Atomic Energy Act and NRC regulations.
But UniStar counters that the proposal would not put a third reactor into control by foreign interests.
The NRC hasn't taken a position, and the hearing process can take more than a year.
NRC - NRC Approves License Transfers for Constellation/EDF Nuclear Joint Venture
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff has approved the transfer of the operating licenses for the Calvert Cliffs Units 1 and 2, Nine Mile Point Units 1 and 2, and Ginna nuclear reactors, as well as the license for the Calvert Cliffs Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI), to a new ownership structure created by the joint venture of Constellation Energy Nuclear Group (CENG) and EDF Development, a U.S. subsidiary of Électricité de France S.A., a French limited company. As provided by NRC regulations, the staff's approval of the transfer is effective October 9.
CENG and EDF Development submitted an application Jan. 22 requesting approval of the license transfer, and the companies provided supplemental information Feb. 26, April 8, June 25 and July 27. Following EDF Development’s proposed purchase of 49.99 percent of CENG, Constellation Energy Group (CEG) would hold the remaining 50.01 percent through two intermediate companies, Constellation Nuclear and CE Nuclear. The current Constellation Nuclear Power Plants corporation would become an LLC and exist between CENG and the individual power plants.
Focus on efficiency, not nuclear plant -- baltimoresun.com
Sunday's Sun editorial claims the Constellation Energy Group-Electricite de France deal will help ratepayers, in part because EDF might construct a new nuclear reactor that will increase Maryland's supply of electricity ("PSC's power play," Sept. 20). The cost of a new nuclear reactor is in the billions, and the electricity generated by the reactor may not be available for a decade. The problem is that ratepayers are suffering high energy costs now.
The best and most immediate solution to our high energy costs is investment in energy efficiency. Instead of investing billions into nuclear, we should invest heavily in weatherizing and retrofitting our homes and businesses. By doing so, we will decrease the amount of electricity needed to turn on our lights and keep us warm in the winter. In fact, studies demonstrate that we can reduce Maryland's electricity use by 15 percent by the year 2015 through basic energy efficiency projects. We owe it to ratepayers to start lowering utility rates today, not in a decade.
Fielding Huseth, Baltimore
Political Headwinds Hit a Reactor Project on the Chesapeake - NYTimes.com
The proposed Calvert Cliffs 3 reactor in southern Maryland has been considered a leader in the nuclear power industry's hopes for a U.S. renaissance.
It is a finalist for a multibillion-dollar Energy Department construction loan guarantee, and for months, the political and financial signals facing it have been green lights. Its developer, Baltimore-based Constellation Energy, would share the deep pockets of its French partner, Électricité de France International (EDF), the largest nuclear power provider in the world. EDF has offered Constellation $4.5 billion for a 49.99 percent share in the Maryland company's nuclear power projects, including the proposed new reactor.
Nuclear power is dangerous and too expensive to build | Delawareonline.com | The News Journal
A recent letter advocated more nuclear power plants.
There are too many problems with this technology. First, companies will not build nuclear power plants without the protection of the Price-Anderson Act which provides taxpayer compensation in case of an accident since no company in the world will insure them.
Price-Anderson, however, only provides $500 million when the latest government report, states that depending on the severity of the accident, damages could run in the billions. Second, after 50 years of operation there is still the waste problem. Energy Secretary Steven Chu appeared before the House lawmakers on June 3 and declared the planned Yucca Mountain repository “dead.”
More than $9 billion have been invested developing this waste dump, which caused one lawmaker to say: “We got a mighty expensive dinosaur sitting there.” This waste, which is lethal for thousands of years, now stays on site in fuel pools and dry casts for future generations to worry about. Minimum morality would demand that we, at least, stop producing it. Estimates as to the cost of this “eventual cleanup” are incalculable.
Still the proponents declare nuclear as cheap energy.
Third, uranium, like oil, is a finite fuel. Reprocessing, the separation of plutonium which can then again be used as fuel, was discontinued by the United States nearly three decades ago on nonproliferation grounds.
Fourth, since 2005, cost estimates for building a new nuclear reactor have more then tripled. Nuclear energy, once declared to be “too cheap to meter,” is now too expensive to pursue.
Frieda Berryhill, Wilmington
Maryland Gets More Time to Review Constellation-EDF Deal - washingtonpost.com
The Maryland Public Service Commission has granted a request by state officials to extend hearings regarding the proposed $4.5 billion investment in Constellation Energy by EDF, a French energy company.
Constellation and EDF had been moving toward a Sept. 17 deadline to complete the deal. But the Maryland Energy Administration and other state agencies had asked for more time to review terms of the proposal.
Exelon wants info on Oyster Creek tritium leak withheld | APP.com | Asbury Park Press
The owners of Oyster Creek Generating Station have asked the Nuclear Regulatory Commission that the full analysis regarding the cause of a recent tritium leak at the plant not be made public.
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Earlier this month, state Sen. Christopher J. Connors and Assemblymen Brian E. Rumpf and Daniel M. Van Pelt, all R-Ocean, called for the immediate release of the root-cause analysis of the leak that occurred in April at the plant in the Forked River section of the township.
"We will discuss what our review of the root-cause analysis found in our upcoming inspection report on the groundwater contamination issues at Oyster Creek," NRC spokesman Neil Sheehan said Wednesday. He added that the report should be issued next month.
Constellation appeals decision on PSC investigating EDF nuke deal
Constellation Energy Group said Tuesday that it has appealed a Baltimore judge's decision to dismiss the company's request for review of a plan by the Public Service Commission to investigate the proposed sale of half the company's nuclear operations. The PSC said in June that it has jurisdiction to review the sale plan to French firm EDF because it would give EDF major control over Baltimore Gas and Electric, Constellation Energy's regulated utility. The PSC is considering whether the proposed $4.5-billion transaction is in the public interest. Baltimore Circuit Court Judge Stuart Berger on July 2 said the court lacked the jurisdiction to hear the appeal of the PSC decision because the commission's decision to review the sale was not a final decision and therefore not subject to review. The company filed the appeal Monday to the Maryland Court of Special Appeals. "We are taking this step to preserve our legal rights in the future," spokesman Robert Gould said.
Maryland Approves Third Reactor for Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Plant - washingtonpost.com
The proposed third reactor at the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant has received Maryland's final approval.
In an order made public Monday, the state's Public Service Commission affirmed a hearing examiner's approval of a certificate of public convenience and necessity for UniStar Nuclear Energy to build the reactor at the plant, which is along the Chesapeake Bay in Lusby and operated by Constellation Energy Group.
Associated Press: Judge dismisses Constellation appeal in EdF case
Constellation Energy Group Inc. lost a round in its battle with Maryland regulators over its proposed deal to sell half its nuclear operations to France's EdF when a judge ruled Thursday it could not appeal the decision to review the agreement while the review was under way.
The Maryland Public Service Commission is looking into whether the $4.5 billion deal is in the public interest. The PSC doesn't regulate Constellation, but regulates its Baltimore Gas and Electric utility subsidiary.
Constellation contends the deal is permitted under a settlement that raised the trigger for state review to 20 percent of Constellation's shares or its board. EdF would take a 9 percent stake, but the PSC decided the rule doesn't apply because EdF would acquire other rights and assets.
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